• Yet to meet minimum standard for elimination from list
• Labour inspectors lack adequate training/resources
• Only small proportion of victims referred to protection services, all recruitment fees not eliminated 
• State Dept. recomms. addressing extraterritorial child sex abuse by foreign tourists, formalising domestic work and increasing oversight of such work conditions

The Sri Lankan Government does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of human trafficking, but is making significant efforts to do so, the United States (US) Department of State’s this year’s Trafficking in Persons Report noted.

The report, issued this week, added that Sri Lanka continues to remain on Tier Two, as the country has demonstrated overall increasing efforts compared with the previous reporting period when it comes to addressing human trafficking. In this context, it recommended that Sri Lanka increase efforts to investigate and prosecute trafficking crimes, including labour traffickers and officials allegedly complicit in trafficking, and seek adequate penalties for convicted traffickers which should involve significant prison terms.

Noting that Sri Lanka’s efforts included increasing investigations and prosecutions of alleged traffickers, identifying more victims, and allocating more funding for victim assistance than in past years, the report said: “The Government cancelled more licences of recruitment agencies allegedly responsible for facilitating trafficking. Officials also reported providing assistance to a greater number of migrant workers, including trafficking victims, at Sri Lankan diplomatic missions abroad. However, the Government did not meet the minimum standards in several key areas. The Government convicted fewer traffickers and concerns of official complicity in trafficking crimes remained. Labour inspectors lacked adequate training and resources to identify trafficking victims, and the Government referred only a small proportion of trafficking victims to protection services. The Government did not eliminate all recruitment fees charged by labour recruiters.”

The report put forward several recommendations, including improving the quality and accessibility of victim related services, ensuring that shelter and specialised services are available for all identified victims, and providing support to victims who participate in trials against traffickers. Increasing efforts to proactively identify trafficking victims including among migrant workers and women in commercial sex, and ensuring that victims are not inappropriately penalised solely for unlawful acts committed as a direct result of being trafficked, were also among the recommendations.

With regard to the recruitment of persons for foreign employment, the report recommended: “Expand prevention measures including through raising awareness of fraudulent recruitment for employment abroad and resources available abroad. Increase monitoring of licensed recruitment agencies and the regulation of subagents, referring allegations of criminal violations to law enforcement and ensure that migration regulations do not discriminate based on sex. Eliminate all recruitment fees charged by labour recruiters from workers.”

Moreover, the report recommended that Sri Lanka increase efforts to address extraterritorial child sexual exploitation and abuse by foreign tourists in Sri Lanka, including the proactive identification of victims and the investigation of complicit establishments. Another recommendation was increasing training for the Police, prosecutors, judges, Immigration officials, and service providers on human trafficking and victim-centred and trauma-informed approaches.

The report further recommended that Sri Lanka formalise the domestic work sector and increase the oversight of working conditions.